Federal Tax Conference (VIRTUAL)

Robert Lickwar Jr.

Bob has over 30 years of experience as a practicing CPA, andhas worked exclusively with privately held businesses and owners to provide compliance services and sophisticated tax planning strategies including like-kind exchanges, tax-efficient workouts and restructurings, reorganizations and estate planning services. Bob is also a nationally recognized presenter on various tax issues and is a well-known discussion leader providing continuing education seminars to tax professionals. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: •Extensive experience in dealing with tax authorities at both the federal and state levels •Develops tax-favored and other retirement plans for clients •Assists in developing tax efficient succession transitions, including acquisitions and sales of businesses •Expertise in the taxation of small businesses and their owners, specializing in many areas of domestic taxation, including real estate, multi-state, business and individual taxation BACKGROUND: •Licensed CPA in the state of Connecticut •M.S. in Taxation, University of Hartford •B.S. in Accounting, Central Connecticut State University THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: •Nationally recognized presenter on Federal and State Taxation issues •Quoted in “Everything to Know About the New $3,000 Child Tax Credit”, U.S. News & World Report, March 2021 •Moderated “The CARES Act and Its Impact on Your Business and Benefit Plans”, UHY Webinar, February 2021 •Quoted in “IRS backlog causing problems for taxpayers”, Marketplace, February 2021 •Quoted in “IRS Rule Would Make Managing Trusts, Estates More Efficient”, Bloomberg Tax, May 2020 •Speaker for Berlin Continuing Adult Education small business seminars •Speaker for Farmington Continuing Adult Education small business seminars •Local radio station tax expert guest •Received the Author Award from the Connecticut Society of CPA’s State Tax Committee •Articles featured in the Taxation for Accountants, The Journal of Accountancy, and local newspapers

Joseph McCarthy

Joe has worked for the Internal Revenue Service for over 30 years. He began as a Revenue Agent auditing self-employed individuals and small businesses. During that time, he worked primarily on tax civil cases but was also a cooperating Agent on a number of criminal investigations. Currently Joe is the Stakeholder Liaison for and does outreach to tax professional organizations and their membership in New England. Joe has been a long-time speaker at numerous fall CPE seminars in the northeast. Joe has a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Quinnipiac College and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Lauren Pfingstag Vahey

Lauren Pfingstag Vahey is a Director - Congressional & Political Affairs at the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the Association, also includes and referred to as AICPA) in Washington, DC. She joined the Association in late 2019. In this role, she is responsible for advocating on behalf of the accounting profession - with a particular focus on federal tax policy - before Congress and the Administration.

Prior to joining the AICPA, Lauren served as an Associate Director for Government Relations and Public Policy for the International Franchise Association (IFA). Prior to joining the IFA, Lauren worked on the Hill as a congressional policy advisor for nearly ten years. She worked for Rep. Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL) from 2009-2012 before joining Senator Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME) from 2013 – 2018. In her time as a congressional aide, Lauren covered tax, financial services, trade, budget, housing and aging policy portfolios.

Lauren obtained her M.B.A. from the University of Maryland (College Park, MD) and her B.A. from Bowdoin College (Brunswick, ME).

James Di Gesu

As a wealth advisor with more than 25 years of experience, Mr. Di Gesu’s expertise lies in providing integrated wealth management, including comprehensive personal financial planning, income tax planning and investment management to senior corporate executives, owners of closely held businesses, professionals, retirees and their family members to assist them in achieving goals and making financial life decisions.

Mr. Di Gesu excels at providing advice to senior executives on their company compensation and benefit plans, including stock performance plans, stock option exercising and restricted stock planning, pension and deferred compensation plan analysis and the related income tax and investment strategies.

As a father to a daughter with disabilities and special needs, he is passionate to provide special needs planning seminars and planning services to families of children with special needs. Mr. Di Gesu also provides advisory services to small business owners regarding their company pension and employee retirement plans.

Mr. Di Gesu has taught as a professor of Finance at Felician University School of Business, MBA program. In addition, he has presented seminars on various topics of personal tax and financial planning to individuals, including senior corporate executives, owners of small businesses and their employees.

Mr. Di Gesu has authored technical articles for professional publications in the tax and personal financial planning fields and has also appeared on network television as a guest consultant on personal tax and financial planning topics, including CNBC, CNN Headline News, CBS News and FOX Network.

James Di Gesu

As a wealth advisor with more than 25 years of experience, Mr. Di Gesu’s expertise lies in providing integrated wealth management, including comprehensive personal financial planning, income tax planning and investment management to senior corporate executives, owners of closely held businesses, professionals, retirees and their family members to assist them in achieving goals and making financial life decisions.

Mr. Di Gesu excels at providing advice to senior executives on their company compensation and benefit plans, including stock performance plans, stock option exercising and restricted stock planning, pension and deferred compensation plan analysis and the related income tax and investment strategies.

As a father to a daughter with disabilities and special needs, he is passionate to provide special needs planning seminars and planning services to families of children with special needs. Mr. Di Gesu also provides advisory services to small business owners regarding their company pension and employee retirement plans.

Mr. Di Gesu has taught as a professor of Finance at Felician University School of Business, MBA program. In addition, he has presented seminars on various topics of personal tax and financial planning to individuals, including senior corporate executives, owners of small businesses and their employees.

Mr. Di Gesu has authored technical articles for professional publications in the tax and personal financial planning fields and has also appeared on network television as a guest consultant on personal tax and financial planning topics, including CNBC, CNN Headline News, CBS News and FOX Network.

Caroline Calio

Caroline Demirs Calio is a Principal in Cummings & Lockwood’s Private Clients Group and is based in the West Hartford office. She practices in the areas of estate and gift tax planning, asset protection, estate settlement and trust administration. In addition, Caroline advises closelyheld business owners on succession planning issues and various general corporate matters. She also has experience serving as an Executor and Trustee.

Prior to joining Cummings & Lockwood, Caroline worked in the corporate department of Kronish Lieb Weiner & Hellman LLP (now Cooley LLC) in New York City.